1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a compress working method, and more particularly to a compress working method which can perform drawing on a metal plate in an arbitrary shape, utilizing an elastically deformable elastic punch. The present invention is also directed to a compress working apparatus for implementing the above-mentioned method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the sheet metal industry, a CNC (numerical control) punch press, a CNC press brake and a CNC laser profilling are currently utilized mainly for shearing, punching and bending as basic techniques. When drawing is added to the above-mentioned working, such working falls within the press working, so that the current sheet metal cannot address to it. As an alternative, there is only a method of assembling sheet metal parts into a product by welding.
In recent years, in the press working and sheet metal industries, a wide variety of products are required in a small amount with a relatively short period to an appointed time limit of delivery, for example, such as proto-type or the like. However, with the press machining which involves the fabrication of a mold in a severe environment in terms of cost, it takes an excessive time before starting the manufacturing of a product. In addition, a cost for a mold is high relative to a total number of lots of products, so that such press machining strategy is not feasible in terms of cost.
Also, techniques using weld or the like would cause a degraded quality of products, while a technique involving surface treatment such as plating, coating or the like would introduce a further increase in cost.